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Completed TRL 5 (started at 3, targeting 5)
NASA has a strategic knowledge gap (B5-3) regarding what life signatures leak/vent from our Extravehicular Activity (EVA) systems; this potentially impacts how we will search for evidence of life at exploration destinations. Funding will be used to fabricate and sterilize test consumables (swab tips), prepare Test Readiness Review products (such as materials compatibility and hazard assessments), certify the EVA Swab Tool, participate in test opportunities as they arise, and perform analysis on collected swabs.
Suit test data will help advanced suit designers develop strategies for planetary protection compliance - for example, do fabric gauntlets over the wrist joints prevent leaked microbes from migrating? Do neck dams help keep respirated microbes from migrating to one of the leakier joints? By using fully suited crew to collect microbial samples, these tests also provide an opportunity to practice the operational procedures needed to sample crewed equipment on Mars and assess what we may be leaking out - or what kinds of contaminants Mars may be depositing on our hardware.
Listed on TechPort itself — the most direct way to ask about this specific project.
This is early/mid-stage (TRL 5) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.
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